iogctifier grow 
and 2»weet/but 
cfore none may 



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Book.___£i_^lc£. 



CDPyRIGHT DEPOSm 



The Shadow of the Flowers 

The selection of passages from Mr. Aldrich's 
poems that forms the raison d'etre of this 
book was made in answer to a request for a 
list of the flowers mentioned by him, in order 
that the garden of the Thomas Bailey Aldrich 
Memorial at Portsmouth might possess every 
flower so mentioned. In making the list asked 
for, Mrs. Aldrich found the lines enclosing the 
flower in nearly every case so much a part of 
the flower itself that she copied them out, as in 
gathering the actual flowers of the garden she 
would have surrounded each with the leaves 
belonging to it. Quite without intention on her 
part, the lines, as if their sequence had been 
disposed by some unseen hand, were found to 
shadow forth subtly, yet clearly, a double story 
— the story of the changing seasons of the 
year and of the seasons of a poet's life. 



The ^ttmOW of the FLO0v/ER3 



The 
SHADOW of the FLOCVER3 

From i;l-ic Poems or 

rnomn^ b/iile7 /ildrich 

II1u5trd:cd hy 

rniBor /ildrich 

CmL J. NORDELL 



BOSTON J?1ND NEW YORK 

HcuGHTors P1IFFLIN conpmv 

THE RIC/^R:!>IDE PRE^^ C^IDIBRIDGE 






C</i ..- , J, v,,.( i .! 1912. 
W T/1LBOT flLDRICR 

fill ll-rHT-^. I^ESEBC^D. 



/^^J-0 



iCI.A327889 



(nmonni QTinDEn 




m THE OLD Town BY THE ^En 



UaderneD>iK 

ilie u/inters snow 

The invisible Kee^rts of flowers 

^row ripe for 

blossoming! 



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.^:. 



i«*'r«tfe, 






t 



^«^(=«t«^ -ill** 



Yz,\, 1 in usi; need.*. i\ lirtk. linger here 
^ Each, shriib ^^nd tree: iJ> eloj^uent cf him, 

^ Por toiiOackss things Q.nA 5t1en.ce have 

their speech. 
This i5 the pt\th fevmilie^r to his foot 
From, infdnc^ to nievohood i^n.6 old a^^e^ 



flh, Ke^ppy childhood, ringed, with fortiLnedre stars 
(Vh5>'t dreevTn:!) were his \n thi5 en.ch&n,tecl 

sphere, 
CVh&t intuitions of hi^h detstiiiy' 
The honey-bees of [iyblcx touched his lips 
In. that old Mew World c;^6.rden, un^wcM-ea 








-^ W<jr<fru — 






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gHere, ^5 (^ child, in. loving cixriou^i w^y, 
^tie watched the bluebirdii comin^j learned 
Crtj the da.te 
iK-Of hye^cinth i>n.6 ^oldenrod, <Mid made 
y Friends of those Irttle redmen of the eiiTis 
¥(^Qd shyly added to their winter ^tore 
pOf hfvzel-nuts.rio harinle&s thin^ that breathed S; 
lfe°t^4«?J ^''T^ged bat knew him for a> friend ^' 



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41??: 



^f /5S|;<'p<;j , .V Sri • 




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W 







When the soft 
iDprins^ _^<sle5 c\re blowing pyar Cede^rcrofi:, 
Whiten ir2^ the ba.wthorn; when, the violet, -s bloom 
f1lon;5 tlie Bre.ndyvin.c, and overhead 
The 5ky is blue e,* Itdy's, he vill come 
In the winds whisper in the .swdyitic^ pi nc. 
In hon.6 o^ bird <M7d blo^.'iornin.qS of vine, 
rin 1 a11 foir tbmc^s he loved (m he- wx\5 i\e/&S. 



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I see iKose li_^b.t5 dmon^. the Ice^ves, 
Vbur selves I see, ^edexte e).ad wise, 
find yet 3ome fiticT ^ense perceives 
f\ prc5cn.ce that dudes the eyes. 
Of wh&.t is ^onc thev'e seems to stay 
Some subtlety, t:o mock my pains, 
^o,' when, ex rose is borne e:^way 
The frev0r&nce of the rose remdns'" 




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v| ill E:';^' •• "-''^ 




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•ir::^ :«:. 







'flow c2N,n. our f<xn.cic5 hdp bat c^o 
Oat from, this redm. of whi' <:^od 



Oat from, this lealtn of dcet cvnd 



v.. 



snow, 



When, the fir it Soathcfn. violets blow? 



how while the pde c\rhata5 in the 

woods 
WeJ^e6 to fevint life beaee^th the 

de^dj/ear's leaves, 
f]n.6 the blee.k North Ict.^ loose its 

wSkilmg broods 
Of winds lipoti lis, c\nd the ^nyy i>ea 

c^rlcvcs 
/11on0^ our co£^st, while j/et the 
1 Winters hand 

■.mi^- HeeAVijy presses on fSew En^it^ad s 

'^:^'"r- heart; 

/- ^nd Spring coverts the sunshine 

of her eyes 
v'ia,, - . ' Lest some v<Mn cowslip should 

„^;™ . untimely stc^rt-- 

'niyi, ...... ''If' ■:..:-U ^ 











Ere 5priri^ in the heei,rt. of pcinaiea burned. 
Or the. bairtercup he\d loosed rts ^old.. 




When, first the crocus thrusts its point of 0o!d 
Up througli the 5t!l} -sr>,ow-drifted gc^rden. mould, 
f\n6 folded ^re.Q.n thm^j^ in dim. woods unclose 
Their crinhled spec^rs, 5. sudden tremor qoes 
Into my veins e^nd me^kes me. kitk e^ncf km 
To &ery wild-born thinc^. th<^t thrijls and blows. 



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fe 








*«??*?!g g '>* '*J i>' -'iV 




-iiircSS^; 







While yzt the j/e.c\r is younq 
Ple^Q/ 5. gevrle^nd shdl be han^ 

In oar ^^jxrdens of the dee.d, 
On obelisk a^nd arn. 
3he^n the lilc^c's purple burn, 

find the. wjId-ro5c lecvves be shed 



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<" . 



Upon, the buuMed Cvpple -trees 

The robins sino by two5 tnd threes, 

find ever, ext the f^^inte^t bieeze, 

Down drops o, hlossoiTi; 
^nd ever woald thcxt lover be 
I he wind ih^t rob5 the burgeoned tree, 
find lifts the 50ft trees deTntily 

On Bee^utj/s bosom. 





% min.d lets 90 c^ ikoa5e.n.d tKitiga, 
Like cltN-fces of vye.rs b^nd decNths of kiiiqs. 
/lad yet rccdb the very boar-- 
'Twev-s noon, by yonder villc^ge tower, 
Find on. the IjNbt blue noon. in. i)1e\y-- 
Tbe vinxl ccMTie briskly up tbis wcsy 
Crisping tbe brook beside the roe>d, 
Tben,p^u^inc l^cre, set down i+s load ' 
Of pine scents, i^r>c] shook listlessly 
Tk^o petds fr<:im. the\t wild rose tree 




Fixed to her neckle.cc, like e^noiher ^em, 
/I rose 5he wore- the Plover June made for ker 
Fe^irer it looked thesn when upon, the stem, 
/Ind muit, indeed, hcsve been, much happier 



•#^^ 

^^v ^ 




Pleexsavot it is lo lie (Mnid the drcs^rs 
Under tbe:se shandy locusts, hc\lf the, dey 
Wci>tchin>^ the ships reflected on the Bi^y, 
Topme^st tMid shroud, e.3 in c> wizards ^le^ss ; 
To note the swift dnd me5.ger swdlow pi^sa, 
Brushing the dew drop Wom. the li1^c spray^ 



Te.l^e 'them cvn.d keep them, 
Silvery thorn i^nd flower. 
Plucked just d± r&ndom 
In the rosy wciither-- 
l^nowdrops &nd pi^ns>^es>, 
Sprigs of wtNj/iide hee^ther^ 
^nd fivc-ie£.ved wild-rose 
De^d within ^.n. hoar. 




It'5 little theit I mind 

How the blossoms, pink or white 

Tit every toiicK of wind 

Fdl ev-tremblin^ with delight; 

Fcr she h5>5 ^one 5ve>y, 
find when, she went she took 
The Sprinc^tirae in her lool-s^ 
The peach blow on her cheeky 
The Uu^hter frona the brook^ 
The blue from out the Play — 
f\n6 what she cdls e>. week 
Is forever and 5> de^y ! 





Up to her chamber window 
(r, alight wire trellis ^oe5, 
f]nd up this, Romeoi liNdder 
Clambers c^ bold white robe. 



TKoa^h ^ifts 1il^c thine Ihe f^tes <^ive not io me, 

One ihin^, O Hes^fiz, we both hold in fee -- 

f^fiky, it hold TJL5, for when the June wind blows 

We both dre slaves and lovers to the rose. 

In vexin the pale Circassian, lily shows 

[ler face at her ^reen lattice^ and in vain 

The violet beckons, with unveiled face 

The bosom's white^ the Irps li^ht parple stairi, 

These touch our lil^in^, 

yei: no passion stir. 
But when the rose comes, 

Hafiz--in that place 
Where she stands smilin^^ 

we kneel down to he,r\ 






















CVhsxt 


mortd 


knows 








i 


CV hence comes the. 


tint e^nd 


odor 


of 


the 


rose? 




Wh^-t 


probi n^ 


deep 










He^s. 


ever solved the -mystery 


of 5 


lee 


P? 







Bid bright F1or<^, <^b she comes, 
^nOk'tcH a bpre^y of orange, blooms 
Tor Ok TnaidGns hair. 

Let the Hours their aprons fill 
With mignonette e^nd daffodil, 
7\nd dl that's fair. 

For her bo5orri fetch the rose 
That is rarest — 



By studying my 1 eddy's eyes 

I've ^rDwa so le5,rned dc.y by dey 

^o i)l£\chi5veli6.n in this wise, 

Tbdd: when I send her flowers, I 55y 




Be -no"^: triamphant, little flower, 
When on her haiL^hty hee>rt yoix lie, 
But modestly enjoy yoxxr hour . 
She'll we5ry oF you. by t^riS by." 







^•^ 



ra*i>- ^5^ ^ 

r //£i\cK wa^ndering wind ihe^t blows 
> Ey tlie ledrtice, vScems to be^s^r 
N FroTn. bcr p;ivrted lips tbe 5cen."b of ibe 

rose, 
' i/lnd ibc jSKsmine from ber H5,ir 



'0 



Lmub-^m^ 5,vexunt! I onjv/ c&re 

To Kt2ow whed; flower she wants to wear 

I leave it to the addle -pelted 

To guess hov pinks ori^jnatcd 

/Is if it mattered! The chief thing 

Is that we hs^ve them in the spring, 

^n6 Hilda likes them. When they come, 

I straightway send and purchase some, 

The Origin of Plants --go to! 

Their proper end I have in. view. 




I like not le.dy slipper?, 
f^cr yet the sweet- pee. 

IIOSSOITIS, 

^or yet the fhhy roses. 
Reel, or white &s snow; 
I lil^e the chdiced lilie:,^ 
The hcii.v/ £55 tern lilie^ 
Hie ^or^eous ti^er lilic-,, 
Th.^t 1!- our ^^xrdcn. ^row. 





Find when, the rain is fdlin^^ 
I 5it beside the, window 
f\n6 watch them ^low e>,nd glisten, 
How they burn e>nd ^low ! 
Oh for the bu.rnin<> lilies. 
The tender Ecxstern lilies, 
The ^or^eous ti^er lilies^ 
That in our (garden c^row. 



I 




7\n6 1o! in the mee^dow &vect 

Wti^s the ^rcxvc of 5 litllc child, 
Cv'itli B. crumbling stone 5.t the feet, 
Find the ivy ranmn^o. wild-- 
Te^n^lcd ivy 2^nd clover 
Poldin^ it over cvnd over: 
Close to my swecthe^^r t's feet 

Cv/d.s the little mound up -piled. 



fl little mound with chipped Kes^dstone, 
fKe ^r^xss, dh me! uncut e^boat the swe^rd 

^UTnmer by ^vLmmer left e^lone 
tVitb one white lily keeping we^tcK e\nd 

wa.rd. 




.A: 






A 




M^^^y^^^ 







i 



MorJtiJ 



I thinly of it in. the city's streets, 

I dre SMTL of it when. 1 rz^\^ - - 

The violet eyes, the Wi^xen. he^nds, 

Find the one white rose c^^n the brc&st! 




Ere the moon be^lna to rise 
Or dx star to shine, 

Fill the bluebells close their eyes- 
5o close thi ne^ 
T hi nc, deo«r, thine! 



rhen ni^ht cc^nrc, i^nd the st^rs, 
Find blissful skep Birt ^rc the birds were 

cdled 
By bluebell chimes (uhhees^rd of mortal ee.r'i 
To matins in, their brekncK-Kun^ priories — 














"Nord*!! -' 



To think the^t now, benee>.th the Italian sl^ie^^ 
In such dear 6>ir 55 this^ by Tiber's we^ve, 
Dexisies e.re trembling over T^eediss ^re^ve. 



^(!W ...•««.6'K'; 




Once more I he.lt in ilndc^lasie^n Pcxss, 
To list the miile-belh jini^lin^ on the liei^ht; 
Eelow^ e^^cMnst the dall espf^rto ^re>,65>^ 
The evimonds t^limrner white. 



^.\ 








■y. 







I 







'^ 






^i < 






Where is "^he 

Of ihc f Icar-dc-lys, 

^nd the^t irue l^nic^ht who wore her ^<5v<)es? 



^11 15 dee^d here- 

Poppies e^re red here, 

Vines in vny 1 eddy's chfikmbcr ^row- 






M'^": 



'-Ml 























The breezes blur tlie fountt^ins ^Ka^, 
f^nd m&kc acolievn irjelodies, 
^nd scatter from the scented trees 
The lemon -blossoms on the grj^ss. 




^ 



- ^ 
^ 



Thou know'5.1; the^t ge^rden by the mssgue 
Of IrmCk; 5>t2\i:c1y pdms t.re there^ 
ilnd silver fish in msirble te^nl^s, 
find scents of jc^bmine in the air- 




The Presence vc^nisKed, ^nd the fksl'i 

W£>.s broixoht 
51ender, bell-mouthed, and pe^inted d1 c^round 
CVith jet-bl£ick talips on e. se^ffron ^roand. 



la ihc doistcrd c^e^rden ^II on fire 
With scevrlet poppies e^nd golden stdkb 
Here <^nd there on ihe sunny wcxlks, 
Startled by some slight soand wc mo.de, 
in 1iz«M-d, awe^king from, i+s swoon, 
!Miot like an e^rrow into the shcxde. 





Ti^vn/ flower of Spib>in, 

Wild rose of Crre^ncxdex, 

f^&e,pzr of the wines 

In this old p052ide\. 



^'m'M}^ 



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Hel-<ifcn 



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''Ind -nov I linger in ^reeR English l^^ncs^ 
ien- plots of rose <MT.d heliotrope, 
>; . ^ r,e i:hc sudden, pelting n^inb 

v^, _ :. rne lone yilpine slope. 




^w^ 



\ 










"f'^ m^m^'i 




jL^l^i^Al... 










Mt-' 



• I 



v 



'■iLui|Tra-Tinni-]]-r 



Ho, e^le^ntine e^nd cresses Tee^rs if yoa will- bat efter 
Vor her tresses!-- i>lirtk ^nd le^u^hter; 

L.et Cc^re, the be^^i^r, vtsii Then folded he^nds on. bre£..>t- 
Oatside the g<^te, Find endless rest- 



Who cexti sexy where Echo dwells? 

In some mountain ce^vc^ methinks, 
Where the white owl sits e.nd blinks; 
Or in deep sequestered dells, 
Cv/here the fo:<^1ove hesn^s its bells 

Echo dwells. 
Echo! 
Echo! 
F'hixntom of the crystexl jTlir, 

Daughter of sweet 5>1ystery! 
Here is one he^s need of thee, 
l>zi\d him to thy secret l&ir, 



brintSs 



he for thy hd^ir- 

lieixr his prevyer, 
Echo 
Echo 





Even ^o onz iii-Qe benee^'tK 

"the cypresses^ 
51y heart turned 1on^in6ly 

<^cross the seev 
To these fd>mi1ifi,r fields end 

woodlo^nds deexr 
find I had ^iven exil Tities.n'5 

goddesses 
For one poor cowslip or 


















<^ 



,?B, 





^H«»4«.ll> 



The sincill ^rcen. ^lof^t^ m nxosy eiU>Li:"r:s ^^^'^^', 
feedinc^ on mystic moonlight &n6 white dew 
i^lnd e^mbef sLLnshine, the lonv^, summer throiicSh, 



U 



Till, with fcMrrl: tfcmoi .;• ,.. ; ...;;., the 

Felt the delicioas pulses of the wine, 

Find, the <4^iiP^5> ripened in the year's decline. 






M 



■■•?<?■♦■ 









;^#' 










i6ft.lHnWm(ivi».v\ 











-•^'C '^::**^SicSi^:#?^H !H£f 



Were choked with lecxves, 5n.d Q>r\ iheir 

ra,^^ed biers 
L^j/ deo^d the sweets of 5UtnLtn.er 

de^m^s.s]'; rose, 
Clove pink, old fashioned^ loved New 

England flowers. 



I 



(7111 sileritly, b^nd soft d.5 sleep 
The snow fell, fic.ke od. f-le^kc 

Slambcr, spent Ec>rtK! cvnd dream 



of flowers 




I. 



•k 



. i 

t7|($,o.in tlie de&.dened boac^h shcxll ben/.'^ p 
(Vith blooms of sweetest breatK, 



'7^ 



Till springtime bid yoa we^ke, 



O nrirexde of rnir&cles. 

This I>ife thcrb follows Decxth 




TKoa tho-t dost hold the priceless ^ift of 

rest^ 
"Hrew lotus le6,f c^^nd poppy on Kis breexst, 




NOV 19 1912 



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